The ‘Brandon Brothers’ have Calumet Offense Rolling

CALUMET TWP. – Nick Testa coached at Wheeler for the past three seasons. But when that chapter ended, he believed it was time to take his talents elsewhere.
Having competed against Calumet and previously serving as an assistant coach there in 2020, Testa chose to return to Lake County.
The former standout wide receiver at Lake Central in the late 1990s saw talent along Ridge Road that he believed he could develop. Three weeks into the season, things appear to be working out just fine.
The Warriors have scored 94 points over the past two Fridays against River Forest and East Chicago Central.
“I wanted to coach at a place where football was a priority. That’s why I chose Calumet,” Testa said. “I was not planning on being a head coach anymore. But I knew a lot of people here and I knew the talent they had here, so when the opportunity happened, I was very happy to take the job.”
Two players known by their teammates as the “Brandon Brothers” were a big reason for the move.
Bryce Brandon, the Warriors’ running back and safety, and Brandon Smith, a wide receiver, cornerback and kick returner, have been at the forefront of the program’s resurgence.
Brandon is coming off the best game of his career at East Chicago Central, where he carried 20 times for 160 yards and five touchdowns.
“I coached Levi Murray at Wheeler, and now coaching Bryce, I believe they are the best two running backs in the Region,” Testa said.
Brandon enters Friday’s game against Highland with eight touchdowns this season.
Smith opened the season by returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown. He also had six kick or punt returns for touchdowns last season.
Calumet has developed an offense capable of attacking a defense in multiple ways. If opponents load up to stop the run, the Warriors can throw the ball. If they focus on defending the pass, Calumet can turn to its running game.
“I love this team,” Testa said. “They will take whatever the other team will give us. My goal for this team will never change. We want to be playing for championships.”
Smith played his freshman season at West Side before deciding Calumet was a better fit. The move a few miles south, however, wasn’t based solely on football.
“Calumet is a better academic school,” Smith said. “My school work is important to me. I want to keep getting better at football so I can play in college, where I want to study engineering. I want my mind to be at the very best.”
Brandon also arrived at Calumet from another program. He played two seasons at Hammond Central, but when coach Adam Hudak left the program, Brandon followed suit.
“I just felt Calumet was a better opportunity for me,” Brandon said. “This was a good opportunity. (Testa) prepared us for the ups and downs of the game. Our first game against Fairfield (a 43-14 loss), they ran the ball all night and we didn’t get the ball that much. But we’ve learned from that.
“It set us straight. It gave us more focus. This summer also prepared us for this.”
Testa took the Warriors to a camp at Manchester College, where they scrimmaged against bigger, more established programs in the summer heat.
There were plenty of ups and downs. But that was part of the lesson.
This team is learning that football is about responding to both.
“We’re learning every day to do the things that winning teams do,” Testa said.
For Calumet, it’s about taking things day by day, Friday night by Friday night and, ultimately, play by play.
The Warriors are still a work in progress.
But so far, it’s a promising one.
“We hate losing,” Smith said. “We’ve come together. We love what Nick Testa is doing here. We believe we’re going to keep getting better. The future of this program looks real good to me.”

By Steve Hanlon
Heartland Sports Network